


Battle Scars

by Burgie



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-27
Updated: 2019-09-27
Packaged: 2020-10-29 01:36:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,244
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20788430
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: The first confrontation with Zenos does not go well at all...





	Battle Scars

It was quiet. Too quiet. Crouching there in the dust beside Pipin, each of her friends keeping a careful watch on the place (Jack's ears were pricked forward), Veronyka felt a prickle of unease raise the fur on her tail as she tried to sit as still as possible. Which was much easier now that she'd had plenty of practise at it.

The cannon fire, when it came, was almost a relief. Until Veronyka's eyes caught sight of where the smoke was rising from. Rhalgr's Reach. Lyse.

No. No, this couldn't be happening again, she couldn't be losing another lover. Drawing her mage staff, Veronyka jumped to her feet and took off in the direction of Rhalgr's Reach, heart in her mouth, ears pinned to her head. To her relief, the sounds of running footsteps behind her soon reached her ears, and Veronyka felt the sweet sense of family as her found family, her friends, joined her in her mission to rescue Rhalgr's Reach.

It was a massacre. The scent of blood hung heavy in the air, almost as heavy as the stench of smoke and... gods, that was scorched flesh. Death. Biting her lip, Veronyka had to resist the urge to call out for Lyse, though her heart was in her throat and she wanted nothing more than to run to her side. Where was she, where was she...

But. But these people needed help too, and... and Lyse could fight, Veronyka had seen her fight, had fought beside her, and the way she fought wasn't just copying her sister's style. No, though Lyse had been faking a lot of things as Yda, the fighting had been all her own. She was a good fighter. Had proved it, again and again. She would be okay. Hells, she'd been one of the only ones to survive that horrible night in Ul'Dah, one of the only ones to survive even that first massacre back at the Waking Sands. She'd be fine. She had to be. But these people needed Veronyka first. They couldn't fight.

Casting away the thoughts that fate was ripping love from her again, Veronyka shook her head for a moment to clear her thoughts before running to the aid of one of the refugees, a fire spell on her lips that scorched the flesh of the soldier who would have been that poor woman's doom.

"Go, run!" Veronyka urged the woman, eyes wide, ears alert for the sounds of any more approaching danger. "I'll help the others, just go!"

As a group, Veronyka and her friends fought their way into the heart of Rhalgr's Rest, the whole time, Veronyka keeping an eye out for Lyse. She had to be here somewhere. Had to be.

At last, after clearing away a group of soldiers and more magitek armour near the campfire where once Lyse had sat with Veronyka to share a meager dinner with the refugees who told them tales, Veronyka heard news that made her heart leap even as anxiety flooded her veins.

"They've taken Lyse further in, you must hurry!" one of the refugees called to her as one of his fellow refugees helped him to his feet.

The flash of blonde hair sparked new life into Veronyka's tired limbs as she saw Lyse behind a hyur woman dressed in armour of the imperials. The same one she'd seen before, back when it had taken several men holding them back to prevent her and Lyse from running in and saving that poor man. Their eyes met, and Veronyka saw relief flash in Lyse's gaze. But only for a moment, before Fordola drew back her blade and slashed it at the unsuspecting miqo'te. Veronyka raised her arm, stepping back a fraction too late. The sword left a sizable chink in her staff, taking some of her coat sleeve with it. Heart hammering, Veronyka knew that she had to concentrate now. At least she could save this one.

While her friends fell upon the soldiers that Fordola had brought with her, Veronyka focused her attention of Fordola. This, she told herself with every spell flung, with every sword swipe sidestepped, was for every single person that Fordola had fought. For every injured person that Veronyka had passed tonight, for every dead body...

When at last Fordola fell, Veronyka felt relief flash through her. Finally. The last enemy was down, and all Veronyka had to do was step over her and...

"Pathetic."

Veronyka's ears flicked back in annoyance and, against her better judgement, she renewed her manaward spell and turned around to face a man in the ugliest armour she'd seen yet.

"Zenos," she heard someone whisper. Veronyka had really, really hoped that she'd seen the last of the bad Garleans at the Praetorium so long ago. Apparently not. They were intent on being a thorn in her side, though she could deal with that. Just keep plucking the thorns out, burn them, whatever it took.

"Now, you look like you might actually pose a challenge," said Zenos, and Veronyka could somehow feel his gaze scanning the group. The air crackled with electricity, from more than just the storm that threatened to break above them, more than just the broken magitek that lay scattered amidst the bodies.

"You may have defeated them, but we have slain gods," said Zelda, stepping towards him, her primal sword still wet with the blood of the fallen. Zenos chuckled.

With a sweep of his hand, Zenos cleared a ring for them to fight in, a ring that Lyse was still on the other side of, watching Veronyka with... eyes that shone with hope. If anyone could do this, it was them. What was a man to several gods, after all?

At least, that was what Veronyka thought until the swords came down the first time, crackling with electricity. No amount of manawarding, no amount of shielding, no amount of healing, could protect from the many thunderous spells that the swords in the ground exploded with.

One by one, Veronyka watched as her friends fell. Astrid had never been quite the same since Haurchefaunt's death, but even she deserved better to be skewered on a sword like that. Even if she did, admittedly, throw herself at it. But she was alive. It was enough to Zenos that they fell, apparently. Which she was grateful for.

"Veronyka!" she heard Lyse cry out, terror in her voice. Veronyka gasped, suddenly seeing Zenos right in front of her. How had he gotten there so quickly? There was no time for spells, not even time to block with her staff, all Veronyka could do was throw her arm up in front of her.

Pain sliced through it, baring her skin to the air, and Veronyka crumpled, her strength spent, cradling her injured arm as tears blurred her vision. Now, her blood joined the awful cacophony of blood in the air, from fallen refugees, fallen soldiers, her injured friends... She clutched it to her, hoping to stem the bleeding somehow, wishing she had a single healing spell in her repertoire. But half of the healers had remained to help the other wounded, while the others had been knocked back by the lightning or Zenos' blade. All she could do was hold her wounded arm to her chest, ignoring her blood spilling out onto the dirt, drenching her coat. Maybe if she slowed her heart rate enough, she could stop the bleeding, that was how that worked, right?

But... Veronyka raised her head, just enough to catch Lyse's eye, enough to tell her that she was still alive. Lyse nodded, still struggling with her hands bound behind her back. Not that she could get to Veronyka anyway, even if she tried- Zenos had erected a kind of barrier around the 'fight' so that he couldn't be interrupted. Was he... did he actually enjoy this that much? But where was the sport in shooting down opponents when they couldn't escape? There was a saying, Veronyka was sure of it, something about fish in a barrel... but she was so tired, her body starting to shiver. Her arm barely even hurt anymore, though blood still flowed freely from it. Almost like... almost like...

Where. The hells. Was Hydaelyn? That realisation brought Veronyka back to herself, her body suddenly burning hot with rage. Sure, she had the blessing back, but it wasn't doing anything. Unless that was the only thing keeping them alive. Small comfort, when they were being slaughtered. But of course, Hydaelyn was not kind. She took Minfilia and called it... called it something good. And sure, Minfilia was helping the Warriors of Darkness now in their world, and Veronyka had been okay with that, but... but that barely made a dent in the months of suffering, of wondering, of not knowing whether Minfilia lived or died, and then finding out that she'd been gone this whole time...

"And here I thought that you'd pose a challenge... you are little better than the rest," said Zenos, bringing Veronyka's mind back from those thoughts. Her mouth opened in shock as she saw Zelda, the lone figure before Zenos, her sword radiating some strange energy. But even that energy was not enough, as Zenos brought his blade across Zelda's middle, sending her to her back. "Pathetic," was all Zenos said to her strangled cry as he walked away. The shield, mercifully, disappeared, allowing the few healers of the group to run in.

Veronyka struggled to her feet as soon as the tingle of healing magic left her. Despite the feeling of dizziness that rushed through her, despite the way she swayed, Veronyka had only one destination in mind.

Veronyka's hands were still shaking, still slippery with blood (one hand still felt as though it were torn open, though she could see for herself that it was whole), as she untied the binds around Lyse's wrists.

"You're still bleeding," said Lyse, taking Veronyka's hands in her own as soon as her hands were free.

"Not.. anymore," said Veronyka. Now that Lyse was free, now that they were safe (in a fashion), she could rest. It was okay.

The world seemed intent on keeping her awake, however, for at that moment, Krile and Alphie finally reappeared after healing many refugees.

"I'll heal Y'shtola," said Krile, falling to her knees beside the crumpled, bloodstained white form that Veronyka only now recognised. Guilt gnawed at her, that she'd been so caught up in herself, in her own pain, in Lyse, that she hadn't even thought about the Scions who'd remained behind her, hadn’t even noticed Y’shtola lying here bleeding out.

"She was protecting me," said Lyse, tears in her eyes as she moved to lean over Y'shtola. "If anything happened to her, I..."

"Well, if you'll let me work, I can fix her," said Krile, glaring at Lyse. "Veronyka, you're her girlfriend, hold her down."

Though Veronyka felt like she could barely hold her own weight right now, her hand sought out and found Lyse's, ignoring the smear of blood that she left, the blood that warmed between their hands. Lyse looked at her, eyes wide with concern.

"We'll get you healed properly once we move, I promise," said Lyse, squeezing Veronyka's hand unconsciously. Pain jolted through Veronyka's hand, bringing her back to full alertness as she hissed. "I'm so sorry, I-" Lyse tried to pull her hand away but Veronyka gripped it, biting back another hiss.

"My deepest apologies, there were just... so many, I could only do a patch job," said Anjelain. "Were it any other situation, I would gladly have healed you to full health. You have my greatest apologies."

"I'm just glad you're okay," said Veronyka, her eyes on Lyse. "I saw the smoke and I thought..."

"Have past events taught you nothing? I'm not that easy to kill," said Lyse, trying to smile at her. It almost reached her eyes.

"Even as Lyse?" Veronyka asked. It sounded callous to her ears, but… but there was a part of her that worried that all of Lyse’s courage had been caught up in being her sister. Normally, she could ignore it, but in her current state, all of those fears rose to the surface. Now, Lyse's eyes dimmed and she looked away for a moment.

"I guess we'll find out, won't we?" Lyse asked. Her thumb gently traced the barest line that Veronyka could see forming down her palm. Her first scar. Well, first major one, anyway.

"I've lost enough," said Veronyka. "I don't know if I can bear losing you too."

"I'll do my best," said Lyse, finally sounding more like herself. She pressed a brief kiss to the back of Veronyka's bloodied hand. "But... as long as you do the same."

"Some say I have nine lives," said Veronyka, the briefest flicker of happiness, of amusement, surging up in her.

"Well, don't go bloody testing that theory, alright?" said Lyse, grinning at her. Veronyka mustered a small smile, but it was all she could do to lay there with her head on Lyse's lap, her body curled up to conserve warmth. She still felt so cold but warmth was returning, slowly. Especially as Lyse stroked her spare hand over Veronyka's hair, barely brushing her ears, still somewhat tender from the fight. She might not be able to fight for a while, not until her arm was healed, but... if she could comfort Lyse, she'd do that. Gladly.


End file.
